Midrasz do Izajasza 1:25

Our Rabbis were taught: Whence do we infer that we should mention the Patriarchs [in the prayer of Amida]? It is written (Ps. 29, 1) Ascribe unto the Lord, ye sons of the mighty. And whence do we infer that we should mention [in the Amida the power [of God]? It is written (Ib.) Ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. And whence do we infer that the K'dusha [His Holiness] must be mentioned? It is written (Ib. 2) Ascribe unto the Lord the glory of His name; bow down to the Lord in the beauty of holiness. And what reason had they for placing the Benediction of Wisdom [fourth] after the Benediction K'dusha? Because it is said (Is. 29, 23) Then will they sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and the God of Israel will they reverence; and immediately follows: They also that were erring in spirit shall acquire understanding. And what reason had they in placing the Benediction concerning Repentance after Wisdom? Because it is written (Is. 6, 10) Lest his heart understand, and he will repent, and be healed. If so, we ought then to mention the section treating with Healing after Repentance [the sixth, instead of the eighth benediction]? This you cannot assume, for it is written (Ib. 55, 7) And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon. The section of Pardon is therefore arranged after Repentance. But why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because there is another passage to the same effect (Ps. 103, 3) Who forgiveth all thy iniquities, who healeth all thy diseased, who redeemeth from the pit thy life. This means to say that both redemption and healing come after forgiveness. But there is a passage (Is. 6, 10) He will repent and be healed? [Hence healing follows repentance]? This healing, however, does not refer to disease, but to forgiveness. And what reason had they in arranging the prayer for Redemption in the seventh Benediction? Said Raba: "Because Israel is destined to be redeemed in the seventh (Sabbatical) year, it was therefore designated in the seventh benediction. But has not the master said that in the sixth [of the Sabbatical years], there will be different rumors, in the seventh year of the Sabbatical years [great] wars will break out, and at the close of the seventh year Mesiah b. David will appear? Hence in the seventh will there be war and not redemption. War will mark the beginning of the redemption. And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for Healing in the eighth Benedictions? "Because," said R. Akiba, "circumcision takes place on the eighth day, and requires healing; it was therefore designated in the seventh Benediction." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Blessing of the Year in the ninth Benediction? "This prayer," said R. Alexandri, "is against those who raise prices, as it is written (Ps. 10, 15), Break Thou the arm of the wicked, etc. And David also said it in the ninth chapter." And what reason had they for arranging the prayer for the Reunion of the Exile after the Benediction of the Blessing [of the harvest] of the Year? Because it is written (Ezek. 36, 8) But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall send forth your boughs, and your fruit shall ye bear for my people Israel; for they are near at hand to come. And as soon as the reunion of the exile will take place, there will be the punishment of the wicked, as it is said (Is. 1, 25) I will turn my hand against thee, and purge away as with lye thy dross. And further (26) it is written: I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning. After the judgment of the wicked there shall no more exist any sinners. This includes the arrogant, as it is said (Ib.) But destruction shall come over transgressors and sinners together. And those that forsake the Lord shall perish, and when sinners will cease to exist, the strength of the righteous is exalted; as it is written (Ps. 75, 11) And all the strength of the wicked will I hew off, but the strength of the righteous shall be exalted. Righteous proselytes are included among the righteous; as it is said (Lev. 19, 32) Before the hoary head shalt thou rise up, and honor the old man. And immediately it follows: If a stranger sojourn with thee, ye shall not vex him. And where will their horn be exalted? In Jerusalem; as it is said (Ps. 122, 6) Pray ye for the peace of Jerusalem; may those that love ye prosper. And as soon as Jerusalem will be rebuilt David will come (Fol. 18) as it is said (Hos. 3, 5) After that will the children of Israel return and seek for the Lord their God and David their king. And together with David will come prayer, as it is said (Is. 57, 7) Even these will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. And as soon as prayer comes, service in the Temple will come with it, as it is said further: Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon My altar. And as soon as service comes, there will come a thanksgiving, as it is said (Ps. 50, 23) Who so offereth thanksgiving glorifieth Me. And what reason had they for placing the Blessing of the Priests after the Benediction of Thanks giving? Because it is written (Lev. 9, 22) And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them, and came down after he had offered the sin-offering and burnt-offering and peace-offering. Why not say that he blessed them before the service? You cannot possibly think so; for it is written: He came down after he had offered — it is not written to offer, but after offering. Then why not say it immediately after the Benediction concerning the [restoration of the Temple] Service? You cannot possibly think so, because it is written: Whoso offereth the thanksgiving (glorifieth Me. And why did they desire to rely on this [verse], and not rely on the former? Because common sense teaches that service and thanksgiving are the same thing. And what reason had they for placing [the Benediction concerning] Peace after the Blessing of Priests? Because it is written (Num. 6, 21) And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them; i.e., the blessing of the Holy One, praised be He! is peace, as it is said (Ps. 29, 11) The Lord will bless His people with peace. [Hence the arrangement of the Amida or Eighteen Benedictions.] Now [let us see], if one hundred and twenty elders, among whom there were many prophets, have arranged the Eighteen Benedictions in accordance with their orders, why was it necessary that Simon of Peculi should rearrange them? They had been forgotten, therefore he reintroduced the order.

R. Chanina said: "Ben David will not come until such a time when a piece of fish will be sought for a sick one, and it will not be found, as it is said (Ez. 32, 14) Then will I make clear their waters, and cause their rivers to flow like oil. And there is also another verse (Ib. 29, 21) On that day will I cause to grow a horn for the house of Israel, and unto thee will I open the mouth in the midst of them." R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Ben David will not appear until even the slightest trace of tyranny against Israel will be removed, as it is said (Is. 18, 5) He will both cut off the tendrils with pruning-knives, and the sprigs he will remove and cut down." And thereafter, it is written, At that time shall be brought as a present unto the Lord of Hosts a people pulled and torn." And Zera, in the name of R. Chanina said: "Ben David will not come until the presumptuous men of Isarel will cease to exist, as it is said (Zeph. 3, 11) For then will I remove out of the midst of thee, those that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt never more be haughty again on My mount. And thereafter it is written, I will leave, remaining in the midst of thee, a humble and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." R. Simlai said, in the name of R. Elazar b. Simon: "Ben David will not come unless there will cease to be judges and officers of Israel, as it is said (Is. 1, 25) And I will turn My hand against thee, and purge as with lye thy dross, and remove all thy tin. And I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning, etc."

(Fol. 139a) We are taught that R. Jose b. Elisha said: "If thou seest a generation in which many troubles come, go and investigate the Judges of Israel, for it is said (Micah 3, 9.) Hear this, I pray you, O ye heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel, that abhor justice, and make crooked all that is straight. And it is further written; They built up Zion with bloody guilt, and Jerusalem with wrong. Her chiefs judge for bribes, and her priests teach for reward, and her prophets divine for money, and yet will they lean upon the Lord, etc. They are all wicked, yet they all lean upon Him who created the world with his command. Therefore will the Holy One, praised be He! bring upon them three misfortunes for the three sins of which they are guilty; as it is said (Ib. ib. 12.). Therefore for your sake, shall Zion he ploughed up as a field, and Jerusalem shall become ruinous heaps, and the mount of the house, forest-covered high places. And the Holy One, praised be He! will not cause the Shechina to rest in Israel until such wicked judges and officers shall be destroyed from Israel, as it is said (Is. 1, 25.) And I will turn my hand against thee, and purge away as with lye thy dross, etc. And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning." Ulla said: "Jerusalem will not be redeemed except through righteousness, as it is said (Ib. ib. 27.) Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her converts through righteousness." R. Papa said: "When the haughty will cease to exist, then the magicians (Sadducees) will cease; when the corrupt judges will cease, then also will the bribed officers cease to exist. When the haughty will cease, then will the magicians cease to exist, as it is said (Ib. ib. 25.) And I will purge away, as with lye thy dross etc. When the corrupt judges will cease to exist, then also will the bribed officers cease, for it is written (Zeph. 3, 15.) The Lord hath removed thy punishment, he hath cleared away thy enemy." R. Malai, in the name of R. Eliezer, the son of R. Simon, said: "What is meant by the passage (Is. 14, 5.) BroJcen hath the Lord the staff of the wicked, the sceptre of rulers? The staff of the wicked, refers to the judges who make themselves a staff (of support) to their sextons; The sceptre of rulers, refers to the learned men that are in the families of the wicked judges." Mar Zutra said: "This refers to teachers who give instruction in communal laws to ignorant disciples, who afterwards become judges [incapable of judging rightfully]." R. Elazar b. Malai, in the name of Resh Lakish, said: "What is meant by the passage (Is. 59, 3.) For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken falsehood, and your tongue uttereth deception? For your hands are defiled with blood, refers to the judges. And your fingers with iniquities, refers to the scribes of the judges [who write false documents] Your lips have spoken falsehood. refers to the attorneys [who teach people to plead falsely"]. And your tongue uttereth deception, refers to the litigants themselves."